GRAND FORKS, N.D. – A pair of University of North Dakota athletics programs – softball and men’s cross country – have received NCAA Public Recognition Awards for their most recent multi-year Academic Progress Rates (APR).

The Public Recognition Awards are given each year to teams with APRs that rank among the top 10-percent nationally in their respective sport. The APR measures eligibility, graduation and retention each semester or quarter and provides a clear picture of the academic performance for each team in each sport.

The most recent APRs are multi-year rates based on scores from the 2009-10, 2010-11, 2011-2012 and 2012-13 academic years.

UND’s women’s golf program was previously recognized in both 2010-11 and 2009-10.

“Congratulations to these two teams. The APR is a Division I report, and we've now had three different programs publically recognized in the last four years for their outstanding APRs. I applaud the student-athletes for their dedication to academics, their program, and their University, and I applaud the coaches for supporting that dedication to academic performance,” said Amanda Hajdu, UND’s Assistant Athletics Director/Director of Academic Services.

APRs for all Division I teams will be released on May 14. The APR is an annual scorecard of academic achievement calculated for all Division I sports teams nationally. Teams must meet a certain academic threshold to qualify for the postseason, and they also can face penalties for continued low academic performance.

The public recognition is part of the NCAA’s overall Division I academic reform effort and is intended to highlight teams that demonstrate a commitment to academic progress and retention of student-athletes by achieving the top APRs within their respective sport.